Troops operating under a code-name LAFIYA DOLE on patrol from Bama to Pulka, intercepted suspected suppliers of drugs and other logistics to Boko Haram insurgents from Firgi and Zawan axis, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.
Acting Director of the Nigeria Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman who spoke to news men today, Monday, said that the suspect was arrested as he tried to cross into Sambisa forest on Sunday afternoon.
According to Colonel Usman, the troops pursued members of Boko Haram who were crossing the into the forest but could only able to apprehend Kadiri Umate, 35 years, while others fled into the bush.
The patrol team recovered 35 packets of 500ml of Glucose Intravenous infusion (Drip), assorted analgesics and pain killer drugs, clothes, bathroom slippers, insecticides, salt, kolanuts and a bicycle.
The suspect is undergoing preliminary investigations.
The troops also arrested one Fantoma Lasani, who was suspected to be a supplier of fuel and other logistics to the same Boko Haram. He was arrested by the Army in conjunction with Civilian JTF at Muna garage when he came to pick his wife to finally relocate out of Maiduguri.
The suspect who hailed from Flatari village, Bama Local Government Area, is among some unpatriotic elements in the society that had been supplying Boko Haram terrorists with Premium Motor Spirit and Automotive Gas Oil in Bama, Gwoza and Sambisa general area. [myad]
Like Lagos, Kano remains a significant bloc in any political permutation in the Country. With population estimated at over 10 million according to the 2006 census, and 44 Local Government Areas, any political earthquake in the State reverberates across beyond its borders.
In this light, the rise and rise of Gandujiyya Akidda ideology at the expense of crumbling Kwankwasiyya Amana is bound to have domino effect. Political observers believe that Kano former governor, Senator Rabi’u Kwankwaso by taking on his political associate of over sixteen years who now wields power, miscalculated. ‘Power is no respecter of persons’ they submit.
Could it be power intoxication that pushed Sen. Kwankwaso to dare his successor, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje ?. Maybe, power intoxicates. And it appears Nigeria’s political elite loses their bearing after a sip. Indeed, they hunger to remain perpetually in power, by proxy or otherwise.
Else what would a man who has exhausted the constitutional limit of eight years as governor still be seeking in the governorship seat?
Of course, Sen. Kwankwaso would not be the first former governor or the last who dreams that his place as godfather is assured if he ‘installs’ his successor.
Former governors, Orji Uzor Kalu and Ali Modu Sheriff respectively of Abia and Borno States learnt the hard way. After ‘installing’ their puppets in office, the governors, Theodore Orji, formerly of Abia and Kashim Shettima of Borno resisted playing puppets and fought their so-called godfathers to a standstill. They returned for second term and sent their godfathers into political wilderness.
Predictably, Kwankwaso would lose out in the tussle for supremacy between him and Gov. Ganduje. A little introspection on his part would have shown that he would gain more by remaining in the good books of Gov. Ganduje, than tussling with him.
Come 2019, Gov. Ganduje would have consolidated his power base and may easily return for a second term, all things being equal. As Chief Executive of the State, and leader of the party in the State, the only way he could lose out would be by non-performance.
Kwankwaso on the other hand has had his day in the sun. No matter his influence, he would be facing a big fight in 2019 especially if his presidential aspiration remains alive. He would be fighting on so many fronts
The Ganduje versus Kwankwaso tussle began almost immediately the former was sworn in as governor. Accusations and counter accusations were traded. The two principal actors initially denied anything was amiss, but soon it became a macabre dance in the marketplace.
Absurdity and sycophancy crept in when a former Special Assistant to Sen. Kwankwaso on Media and Publicity, Alhaji Sharu Gwammaja dared Gov. Ganduje to remove his red cap.
Gwammaja boastfully offered to buy the governor’s red cap at the cost of N1million, saying “if Governor Ganduje can remove his red cap today, I will buy it for N1million.”
The red cap symbolises Kwankwasiyya, the political mass movement founded by Sen. Kwankwaso to aid his governorship re-election in 2011. The cap was formerly adopted on May 29, 2011 during the swearing in of Kwankwaso for a second term. Worn with white garment and black shoes, it soon became the dress code for his loyalists, virtually replacing the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP flag.
While Gov. Ganduje and followers ignored Gwammaja who spoke in April this year, Kwankwaso’s loyalists persisted. Recently, Gwammaja, now chairman of Hannun Karba, Hannun Rikewa, a wing of the movement made actual threats.
While addressing a press conference at the NUJ Press Centre in Kano, in commemoration of the 60th birthday of Kwankwaso and 6th anniversary of the movement, he said: “Earlier, we have offered the governor the sum of N1m to remove his cap and he failed to do so. Now, we are giving him 48 hours to either remove the red cap which is a symbol of Kwankwasiyya or we will drag him to court. He has deviated from the ideology of Kwankwasiyya and it is high time he stops wearing our symbol”
Does the Kwankwasiyya movement own the copyright to the red cap? Certainly not. Only hypocrisy and sycophantic posturing could have driven Gwammaja so far.
From Gov. Ganduje’s camp came swift reaction: The Kano State Commissioner for Information, Youths, Sports and Culture, Alhaji Mohammed Garba dismissed the threat of legal action against the governor as most ‘’laughable, pathetic and a clear indication of the ignorance of the members of the movement of law and history of political struggle in Kano”.
‘’The red cap” says Alh. Garba, was introduced by late Malam Aminu Kano and popularized by him, his followers and disciples and Ganduje was among them.
“Ganduje was at the forefront of its re-introduction during the second tenure of Kwankwaso in 2011. Who then could better claim the red cap doctrine?” he queried.
‘’’Gov, Ganduje’s decision to continue wearing the red cap was nothing but a personal choice and manifestation of his high sense of decency, decorum, responsibility, modesty and political astuteness.
“…..The statement and empty threat should have been backed by citing the exact provisions of the constitution, any statute, law or rules and regulations that were breached by the governor for his action, for it to hold any water, particularly in a court of law,” he challenged them.
So far, 34 out of the 38 members of the Kano State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Hon Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, several local government area chairmen, and other party officials in the State have stopped wearing the symbolic red cap in solidarity with the governor. A blue cap has since been introduced to replace the red one.
Are the days numbered for Kwankwasiyya Amana ideology in Kano? Yes, says the Special Adviser to Gov. Ganduje on Print Media, Alh. Bala Salihu Kudu.
‘’Plans had been concluded to do away with anything connected with the Kwansiyya ideology. As far as we are concerned, we are definitely going to dump it because it has no political benefit. We are now talking about the Gandujiyya Akida ideology, which we are entrenching’’.
Kudu explains that Gandujiyya Akidda means: “ Unshakable belief in certain issues that will be beneficial to the common man and the people of Kano State.
“It is a political ideology that has direct bearing on the people, their needs and aspirations as far as governance and distribution of democratic dividends are concerned”
The rapidly rising profile of Gandujiyya indicates that Gov. Ganduje is not fazed by the brickbats flying to and fro.“We will play politics when that time comes. His Excellency, Gov Ganduje is working now.
“Gov Ganduje remains focussed on delivering democracy dividends to Kano people. From less than N800 million internally generated revenue, he has since boosted Kano’s IGR to N3 billion. He has not only kept faith to his promise of continuing the projects and policies of his predecessor, he is now moving on to conceptualisation and consolidation of his own projects and policies’’ says Garba.
Icheku is an Abuja-based journalist and public affairs commentator. He can be reached at toni.icheku@gmail.com. [myad]
The other room is the most important room in the home and in any woman’s life. Every woman knows that. So, don’t mind those who are pretending to be holier than the sacred sanctuary. It’s okay to have powers in and over the other rooms, but a woman who does not know how to wield the influence derivable and derived from the other room is indeed a powerless woman. Yes, the powers of the boardroom is plenty power. But what is the power of the boardroom without the power of the bedroom? At best, the power of the boardroom is transient. It is power that can be wrested from your hands in one board meeting. It is power you can be suspended or retired from. Without your entitlements too! But the real influence of the other room is sweet, and long-lasting. Even when a woman gets promoted to the position of a first wife, she only shares that power with the new entrant, she does not have to relinquish it altogether. There would still be things the new wife will not happen on or know just because she knows how to apply her make-up. A woman who has lived with her man for 20 straight years most certainly know where all the buttons are on that body and how to insert the right keys to open the right doors. A new wife, yes, knows how to manipulate current ring-back tunes and his caller tunes because the man was sneaking in at weekends to chop-and-clean-mouth, it is the licensed owner of the other room who knows how to wake the giant up from the deepest slumber. But let’s not wait too long at that bus stop. Moving on, every woman must know and use the power of the other room. It is the power you hold tightly, girls. You sit tight on it. It is not democratic power. It is monarchical. You hold on to it until death do you part. Oh yes. A friend once told me how she used to do extra duty on her husband any time he announced he was going to be working late or going for a management retreat out of town. She would do an all-nighter in the other room. She would coax him up and ensure he gave a good account of himself the night before. Then she would ice the cake with a long-drawn-out dawn work-out in the morning and then let him leave the other room, spent and thoroughly used. She knew ‘bros’ was a strong man but when a man has been thoroughly dealt with at night and in the morning, the ‘conference materials’ will have to do more than struggle to wake the giant up. Right. If you ask me, every wife of every busy man should give their men a good work-out in the other room to ensure the guys have less wild oats to sow. Get some of the juice for yourself. How smart can you claim to be if you clean a gun for hours, load it with bullets, cock it and then you let him go shoot it somewhere else? Babe, you are all the shooting range he needs. Let him practice all he wants in the other room. Talking about shooting range, too many women voluntarily retire from the other room and still expect to continue to wield influence over ‘oga’. It does not make sense. You are either in the other room or you are outside it. No woman can stay outside that powerful room and remain powerful. That is why I said that this matter is not a democracy. You have no term or tenure. Play your politics right and stay put. Do whatever you need to do. It is a war and all is fair in war. Play fair only when it suits you. When you need to go the extra mile to keep your place and ‘oga’ in the other room, plaster a designer smile on your face and do what you need to do. Just remind yourself of your wedding vows and what the holy books say… But is the other room the only room of influence? Some say the kitchen is also important. They underscore that with one suspicious saying: the best way to a man’s heart is through the stomach. Seriously? I do not buy that line. Fine, they told us all kinds of things when we were getting married but the things we have all learnt on the job are unquantifiable. Who drew the map that linked the stomach of a man to his heart? Let us be sincere, that kind of road network is suspect. What kind of geography is that? And if you still doubt that kitchen theory, ask why wives, women employ cooks and house-helps for the kitchen and no woman wants to be helped in the other room. Ah ah, my point exactly. The superior room is the other room. Everybody is welcome in the kitchen. The other room? No. A lot of work, of course, goes into keeping your space in the other room. Plenty of sweat and long nights. No woman should let all that go to waste, after all, the bible said that we shall eat the fruit of our labour. Whatever cannot be fixed in the other rooms must find solution in the other room. Whatever a babe can’t fix through her man’s stomach, she must fix behind closed doors. Whatever argument a woman can’t win with long logic in the living room, she must take to the other room for final adjudication. You see, it is in that room, only in the other room, that a woman gets to play judge and jury. It is one place where a woman can baptize her husband, pray for him and God watches you both and clap and smile and say, well done, my daughter. See how divinely appointed the other room is! From the choice of which schools a woman wants the children to attend to where she wants him to acquire property and when and holiday destinations, a little extra work in the other room can lessen the hours spent on arguments. Being extra nice to your man in the other room, if you get my meaning, will make his cantankerous sister less influential. Paying more attention to his sensitive buttons will make him less antagonistic to your Christmas budget. New tricks, new techniques may work better when you want more house keeping allowance than the logic of falling naira and rising dollars. But I must warn that the other room is a room of strategy that must be used strategically. It is a room you can enjoy every day but the powers therein must be deployed strategically and with tons of wisdom otherwise the advantage will be lost. If the power in this room is not handled smartly and intelligently, it may be misinterpreted as blackmail. A man must not be deprived of what he paid for, even if he paid in installments. You cannot withhold from him his entitlements. Just rev it up, keep it warm and some times, serve it so hot he begins to speak a foreign language. Whatever you do, never ever forget that the other room is the most superior room and that only smart women know how to deploy the power therein. [myad]
A young lady, whose name was not immediately known, ran out of the wedding venue where she was being joined in Holy wedlock with her dashing lover as husband and wife, saying that she was no longer interested in the man.
Drama ensued when the would-be husband gave her a hot chase across the major road in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, which created a serious scene in the area.
At the popular Orhunwhorhun road, the husband was seen begging the bride, still in the white overflowing wedding gown, to reconsider her decision.
The incident attracted a large crowd, as well as members of their families, in a frantic effort to settle the matter. [myad]
Senator Otaru Salihu Ohize, who represented the people of Kogi Central Senatorial District in the red chamber of the National Assembly from 2007 to 2011, died today at the National Hospital, Abuja after protracted illness.
Family source would not disclosed the source of the illness, but it was confirmed that for a long time, Senator Ohize, who also served as Chairman of Okene Local Government in Kogi State, had been bedridden.
Senator Ohize was born on February 5, 1953 and was elected Senator for the Kogi Central constituency of Kogi State, Nigeria, taking office on 29 May 2007. He was a member of the Action Congress (AC).
The late Senator Ohize earned a B.Sc. in Political Science from the University of Lagos (1987) and a Master of International Affairs & Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (2003).
He served for fifteen years in the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Navy.
After taking his seat in the Senate in June 2007 he was appointed to committees on Sports, Police Affairs, Interior Affairs, Information & Media, Housing, Commerce and Agriculture.
In a condolence message, the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello expressed shock over the demise of “a selfless leader” and a former Senator of the Federal Republic.
The Governor described the demise of the former Chairman of Okene Local Government Area as a “painful exit of a political General who fought hard for the change we are enjoying in Nigeria and Kogi State”.
He prayed for the repose of the soul of the departed and for the family, the State and the nation to bear the irreparable loss, saying the late Ohize will “forever be honoured in our minds for his selflessness, commitment to good governance and belief in fairness, justice and equity”.
Governor Bello urged the Ebira nation and Kogites in general to bond together in “this moment of great grief and irrecoverable loss”, urging the people to accept the will of God.
He said that his government shall keep defending the ideals the late Ohize held dear, which are development, progress and justice.
Also, the current Senator representing the same Senatorial District, Senator Ahmed Ogembe described the death of the Senator Salihu Ohize as a great loss for people of Ebira Land and Kogi State at large. .
In a statement released immediately after leaving the hospital where the deceased passed away, Senator Ogembe expressed sadness over the demise of a great icon and grassroots mobilizer.
“It was a rude shock with deep sorrow to hear the unexpected and sudden death of Senator Ohize this morning. May God grant our people the fortitude to bear the priceless loss of a political colossus, ‘Rest In Peace’,” he added.
Senator Ogembe asked members of the family, particularly his children, to take solace in the fact that Senator Ohize lived a fulfilled life with remarkable track record of great achievements.
Senator Ogembe, who was among the dignitaries that rushed to the National Hospital Abuja, where the late senator died.
He prayed that God would accept the spirit of the departed soul, and grant the family the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.
He noted that the deceased, Ohize, would be greatly missed by all especially the Ebiras in particular and the people of Central senatorial district in general. [myad]
The Presidency has distanced President Muhammadu Buhari from the travails which some judges accused of receiving bribe are going through, appealing to media practitioners to stop linking the President to the legal travails of some recently arrested judges in the country. A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said that President Buhari would be the last person to authorize anybody to induce a judge to pervert the course of justice. Garba Shehu recalled that despite his personal familiarity with some judges, Buhari had never used that familiarity to seek favours from them from 2003, 2007 and 2011 when he was challenging the fairness of the presidential election results, from the lowest to the highest courts in the land during the periods in question. He said that as a politician, Buhari had never once ever suggested to his lawyers to approach any judge for assistance to win his cases, adding that the President lives by this principle and has never deviated from it. On the fate of the judges facing corruption allegations, the presidential media aide said Buhari does not tell the courts how to do their jobs and that anybody accused of corruption is protected by the law to defend their innocence. He said that the purpose of the law is to punish the guilty and acquit the innocent, noting that the law protects the rights everyone. Shehu said the President doesn’t have any powers to force any court to convict anybody who is innocent, arguing that in a democratic society, that cannot happen without resistance by the people. [myad]
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed Nigeria’s solidarity with the Saudi Arabian Kingdom over the ballistic missile that was launched by Houthi militias, targeting the holy city of Makkah.
Special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, said in a statement today, Sunday, that Buhari spoke with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia through telephone conversation.
President Buhari condemned what he called the heinous act which targeted innocent people, adding that it is reprehensible and ignoble for terrorists to target a holy land, where millions of Muslims from around the globe gather for pilgrimage.
Buhari expressed delight and appreciation to Almighty Allah that the Saudi defence forces intercepted and downed the missile 65 kilometers from the holy city of Makkah.
He stressed the need to strengthen international support and coalition in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, saying that if the world stands together, there is no way good would not prevail over evil.
The Saudi ground defenses had intercepted late on Thursday, a ballistic missile launched by Houthi militias targeting the holy city of Makkah. The Arab coalition said in a statement that the missile was downed 65 km from Makkah, adding that the coalition jet fighters attacked the rocket launchers in Saada and destroyed them.
Meanwhile, Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Obeid bin Daghr on Thursday said that Iran has trained thousands of Houthi fighters in Iran and Beirut, paving the way for the rebel militias’ aggression.
“The war in Yemen did not start on March 26, 2015. It, in fact, started when Houthis raised the guns against their political rivals and against the state with clear support from Iran, which trained around 6,000 Houthis in Iran or in Beirut under military experts,” Bin Daghr said following a meeting with French Ambassador to Yemen, Christian Tisti.
“The government never sought war, but it was imposed on us and on the Yemeni people when Houthis mobilized their war machines from Sida to Imran to Sanaa and to the rest of the Yemeni governorates and started killing people and bombing houses,” he said.
“The world will eventually realize that the Houthis are a problem not only for Yemen but also for the region and beyond,” the Yemeni official said, stressing that the Yemeni government, while seeking to arrive at a truce, is actively pursuing a long-lasting, permanent peace based on UN resolutions, the GCC initiative and the outcomes of the Yemeni national dialogue.
Meanwhile, US Navy and allied nations’ warships have intercepted four shipments of weapons from Iran to war-ravaged Yemen since April 2015, a US admiral said Thursday.
Saudi Arabia has been repeatedly saying that Iran must be stopped from sending weapons to the Houthi militias, and called on the UN Security Council to take action against Iran for violating UN resolutions pertaining to it, particularly Resolution 2216.
In a previous interview with Arab News, Saudi Ambassador to the UN Abdallah Al-Mouallimi said Iran’s intervention in Yemen is in total violation of the United Nations’ resolutions; he called on the international community to stop Iran’s interference in the internal affairs of other countries.
US Vice Admiral Kevin Donegan told reporters at an undisclosed military base in Southwest Asia: “Either US ships or coalition ships… intercepted four weapon shipments from Iran to Yemen. We know they came from Iran and we know the destination.”
Donegal said the shipments contained thousands of AK-47 assault rifles, anti-tank missiles, sniper rifles and “other pieces of equipment (and) higher-end weapons systems.”
Naval officials were able to determine the destination of the boats by analyzing GPS settings and interviewing the crew. One of the shipments had been declared an illegal weapon shipment by the UN, said Donegal.
His comments come after last week’s US military’s Central Command head Gen. Joseph Votel’s declaration that Iran may have played a role in suspected Houthi missile attacks against US warships in the Red Sea.
“We believe that Iran is connected to this in some way,” Donegan said.
Given the heavy traffic around the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf, the three-star admiral said “plenty” of other shipments would have gone through to Yemen.
In April 2015, Iran tried to send a convoy of seven ships, guarded by two Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps vessels, to Yemen.
Donegan said these were filled with coastal-defense cruise missiles, explosives and other weapons.
The Shiite Houthi militias are believed to be behind this month’s attacks in which surface-to-surface missiles were fired at the USS Mason on at least two occasions.
In response, on Oct. 13, US cruise missiles struck Houthi radar sites believed to have been used to target the ships.
The Mason and two other warships were likely targeted in a third missile attack on Oct. 15, but officials have not conclusively confirmed what the threat was or where it was coming from. [myad]
Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo was in Houston, the United States of America where he announced that the Presidency is in search of a new tribe of Nigerians to build the country. He said that the new tribe should be made up of men and women of all faiths, tribes and ethnicity, who are committed to a country run on high values of integrity, hard-work, justice and love for the country.
Osinbajo, who spoke at the gala/ dinner event organized by the Christian Association of Nigerian-Americans, CANAN in Houston, said: “this is why the president and myself have made a call that we need a New Tribe of Nigerians. We do need a new tribe of men and women of all faiths, tribes and ethnicity, who are committed to a country run on high values of integrity, hard-work, justice and love for the country. “I mean a tribe of men and women who are prepared to make the sacrifices and self-constraints that are crucial to building a strong society; who are prepared to stick together, fight corruption side by side, and insist on justice.” Professor Osinbajo said that the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration takes Diaspora issue very seriously, a reason, according to him that the President appointed a Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora in person of former House of Representative member, Mrs. Abike Daibiri. He said that there is proposal for a Diaspora Commission, and a Diaspora bond worth N1 trillion for investment purpose by both Nigerians at home and abroad. Earlier, the President of CANAN, Dr. James Fadel called on Nigerians to engage in prophetic prayers in order to take the country out of its current predicament. Dr. Fadel asked Nigerian to reject the tendency to be a consuming nation without the desire to also produce, adding that what is needed now is for all and sundry to build trust in God to win the battle against the nation’s opposing forces. At the event, the Vice President was presented with an honorary congressional proclamation by US Congress woman Sheila Jackson-Lee, who indicated that the US Congress takes Nigeria as a very serious partner, a reason it has given great support to the ongoing fight against Boko Haram. She said that it is on record that, Nigeria is one of the countries that has its own Caucus among the elected representative in the US Congress, made up of both Democrats and Republicans. Some Nigerians were honored at the gala night for their achievements in various areas of human endeavors in the US, including Dr. Oluyinka Olutoye, the US-based Nigerian doctor who recently operated on a pregnant American mother who had a tumor growth. Olutoye removed the fetus, operated on the tumor, and returned the fetus. The pregnant woman then completed the pregnancy term and delivered the baby safely. [myad]
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, has asked Governor Olusegun Mimiko to stop running up and down seeking the assistance of Presidency Muhammadu Buhari on the removal of Eyitayo Jegede as the PDP candidate for the November 26 poll in the state.
Speaking to news men in Akure, Jimoh Ibrahim said that many indigenes of the state are already celebrating “Mimiko’s defeat,” even as he insisted that the protests in Akure, the state capital, was sponsored by Mimiko to generate fake security concerns.
“President Buhari cannot stop the Court of Appeal from sitting; he cannot stop the Supreme Court from hearing the applications of the parties involved in this matter. So, Mimiko should learn from Buhari and abide by the decision of the court. Mimiko should wait till the Supreme Court finally makes a pronouncement on the matter. I know the matter will end up at the Supreme Court eventually. So, why is he not ready for the legal process to mature? Why is he running up and down.”
Jimoh Ibrahim said that it was shameful that Mimiko, who had been castigating President Buhari, could be seeking the help of the President.
“Ondo people want me to ensure that Mimiko does not succeed himself. I have nothing to lose. I congratulate Ondo people for the victory I gained over Mimiko. I share their joy. I congratulate them that, at least, we were able to defeat Mimiko. They are already celebrating Mimiko’s defeat. I praise God for the victory.”
The PDP governorship candidate further noted that Mimiko was indicting himself as an “incredible chief security officer of the state” for allegedly sponsoring the protests.
“We are in the 21st century. Nobody can be deceived. Mimiko has castigated Buhari several times. So, why is he now going to the President? What does he want President Buhari to do?
“The President is law-abiding. He abided by the law to become the president. Mimiko should stop running to INEC, the presidency for help.” [myad]
Former Nigeria President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has admitted that he failed to create as many as 50 billionaire Nigerians all through his eight years as President.
“I always say it proudly that my aim when I was in government was to create 50 billionaires from Nigeria. Unfortunately I failed, because I created only 25.”
Obasanjo, who spoke at the second edition of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, said that successive governments after his administration failed to create enabling environments for potential investors.
Obasanjo, who did not name any of the 25 millionaires he produced when he was in power said: “You have to create a conducive environment for people who want to do business here. We have to make them wanting to come to Nigeria and if we cannot do that, we have failed. If you say you are doing that, let us see the results.”
He said that the difficulties faced by prospective investors coming to Nigeria and the challenges they face when setting up their businesses in the country are daunting.
“A situation where somebody wants to come to Nigeria to invest and it takes almost six days to get visa is not proper. In other countries, they would get visa at the airport. We need to be able to register a company at just one point. We have not taken advantage of all the opportunities we have to support our SMEs to be able to produce and sell outside our shores. And if we don’t do a lot of that, those of you (the TEF Entrepreneurs) may be frustrated.
“Let me tell you what I know. Agric and agri-processed products from Nigeria cannot enter into the United States. Even yams from Nigeria have to go through Ghana before going to America. You know why? There is a certification that is required for our agric produce to enter, which we don’t have. Simple thing, we don’t have, but Ghana has it. And it doesn’t take much to put that in place. Unless we have it, we can’t export these items to America.”
The founder of TEF, Mr. Tony Elumelu said 65,000 applications were received and the Foundation in the past two years was able to select only 2,000 due to limited resources. “Friends of Africa need to seek ways of helping those that were not selected, young Africans who can change the fortunes of Africa. In the 21st century, no one but Africans will develop Africa and those that are blessed.
“The rich should do more by re-investing in the young ones because what counts is not how much you have in a bank account but the legacy you leave behind and the impact made. Talks with the African development bank in advanced stage for the ADB to take up additional 1000 out of those that were not selected.” [myad]
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Rise Of Gandujiyya And Fall Of Kwankwasiyya In Kano, By Tony Icheku
Like Lagos, Kano remains a significant bloc in any political permutation in the Country. With population estimated at over 10 million according to the 2006 census, and 44 Local Government Areas, any political earthquake in the State reverberates across beyond its borders.
In this light, the rise and rise of Gandujiyya Akidda ideology at the expense of crumbling Kwankwasiyya Amana is bound to have domino effect. Political observers believe that Kano former governor, Senator Rabi’u Kwankwaso by taking on his political associate of over sixteen years who now wields power, miscalculated. ‘Power is no respecter of persons’ they submit.
Could it be power intoxication that pushed Sen. Kwankwaso to dare his successor, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje ?. Maybe, power intoxicates. And it appears Nigeria’s political elite loses their bearing after a sip. Indeed, they hunger to remain perpetually in power, by proxy or otherwise.
Else what would a man who has exhausted the constitutional limit of eight years as governor still be seeking in the governorship seat?
Of course, Sen. Kwankwaso would not be the first former governor or the last who dreams that his place as godfather is assured if he ‘installs’ his successor.
Former governors, Orji Uzor Kalu and Ali Modu Sheriff respectively of Abia and Borno States learnt the hard way. After ‘installing’ their puppets in office, the governors, Theodore Orji, formerly of Abia and Kashim Shettima of Borno resisted playing puppets and fought their so-called godfathers to a standstill. They returned for second term and sent their godfathers into political wilderness.
Predictably, Kwankwaso would lose out in the tussle for supremacy between him and Gov. Ganduje. A little introspection on his part would have shown that he would gain more by remaining in the good books of Gov. Ganduje, than tussling with him.
Come 2019, Gov. Ganduje would have consolidated his power base and may easily return for a second term, all things being equal. As Chief Executive of the State, and leader of the party in the State, the only way he could lose out would be by non-performance.
Kwankwaso on the other hand has had his day in the sun. No matter his influence, he would be facing a big fight in 2019 especially if his presidential aspiration remains alive. He would be fighting on so many fronts
The Ganduje versus Kwankwaso tussle began almost immediately the former was sworn in as governor. Accusations and counter accusations were traded. The two principal actors initially denied anything was amiss, but soon it became a macabre dance in the marketplace.
Absurdity and sycophancy crept in when a former Special Assistant to Sen. Kwankwaso on Media and Publicity, Alhaji Sharu Gwammaja dared Gov. Ganduje to remove his red cap.
Gwammaja boastfully offered to buy the governor’s red cap at the cost of N1million, saying “if Governor Ganduje can remove his red cap today, I will buy it for N1million.”
The red cap symbolises Kwankwasiyya, the political mass movement founded by Sen. Kwankwaso to aid his governorship re-election in 2011. The cap was formerly adopted on May 29, 2011 during the swearing in of Kwankwaso for a second term. Worn with white garment and black shoes, it soon became the dress code for his loyalists, virtually replacing the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP flag.
While Gov. Ganduje and followers ignored Gwammaja who spoke in April this year, Kwankwaso’s loyalists persisted. Recently, Gwammaja, now chairman of Hannun Karba, Hannun Rikewa, a wing of the movement made actual threats.
While addressing a press conference at the NUJ Press Centre in Kano, in commemoration of the 60th birthday of Kwankwaso and 6th anniversary of the movement, he said: “Earlier, we have offered the governor the sum of N1m to remove his cap and he failed to do so. Now, we are giving him 48 hours to either remove the red cap which is a symbol of Kwankwasiyya or we will drag him to court. He has deviated from the ideology of Kwankwasiyya and it is high time he stops wearing our symbol”
Does the Kwankwasiyya movement own the copyright to the red cap? Certainly not. Only hypocrisy and sycophantic posturing could have driven Gwammaja so far.
From Gov. Ganduje’s camp came swift reaction: The Kano State Commissioner for Information, Youths, Sports and Culture, Alhaji Mohammed Garba dismissed the threat of legal action against the governor as most ‘’laughable, pathetic and a clear indication of the ignorance of the members of the movement of law and history of political struggle in Kano”.
‘’The red cap” says Alh. Garba, was introduced by late Malam Aminu Kano and popularized by him, his followers and disciples and Ganduje was among them.
“Ganduje was at the forefront of its re-introduction during the second tenure of Kwankwaso in 2011. Who then could better claim the red cap doctrine?” he queried.
‘’’Gov, Ganduje’s decision to continue wearing the red cap was nothing but a personal choice and manifestation of his high sense of decency, decorum, responsibility, modesty and political astuteness.
“…..The statement and empty threat should have been backed by citing the exact provisions of the constitution, any statute, law or rules and regulations that were breached by the governor for his action, for it to hold any water, particularly in a court of law,” he challenged them.
So far, 34 out of the 38 members of the Kano State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Hon Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, several local government area chairmen, and other party officials in the State have stopped wearing the symbolic red cap in solidarity with the governor. A blue cap has since been introduced to replace the red one.
Are the days numbered for Kwankwasiyya Amana ideology in Kano? Yes, says the Special Adviser to Gov. Ganduje on Print Media, Alh. Bala Salihu Kudu.
‘’Plans had been concluded to do away with anything connected with the Kwansiyya ideology. As far as we are concerned, we are definitely going to dump it because it has no political benefit. We are now talking about the Gandujiyya Akida ideology, which we are entrenching’’.
Kudu explains that Gandujiyya Akidda means: “ Unshakable belief in certain issues that will be beneficial to the common man and the people of Kano State.
“It is a political ideology that has direct bearing on the people, their needs and aspirations as far as governance and distribution of democratic dividends are concerned”
The rapidly rising profile of Gandujiyya indicates that Gov. Ganduje is not fazed by the brickbats flying to and fro.“We will play politics when that time comes. His Excellency, Gov Ganduje is working now.
“Gov Ganduje remains focussed on delivering democracy dividends to Kano people. From less than N800 million internally generated revenue, he has since boosted Kano’s IGR to N3 billion. He has not only kept faith to his promise of continuing the projects and policies of his predecessor, he is now moving on to conceptualisation and consolidation of his own projects and policies’’ says Garba.
Icheku is an Abuja-based journalist and public affairs commentator. He can be reached at toni.icheku@gmail.com. [myad]